Windows Phone 8.1
Windows Phone 8.1, rolled out at Microsoft's Build Conference in San Francisco, California, on April 2, 2014, is the third and current generation of Microsoft's Windows Phone mobile operating system, succeeding Windows Phone 8. It was released in final form to Windows Phone developers on April 14, 2014 and reached general availability on July 15, 2014. All Windows Phones running Windows Phone 8 will be upgraded to Windows Phone 8.1,10 with release dependent on carrier rollout dates. Windows Phone 8.1 is also the last version that will be under the Windows Phone brand name and will be succeeded by the mobile edition of Windows 10. Most Windows Phone 8.1 devices will be capable of being upgraded to the mobile edition of Windows 10, subject to device compatibility. Features Windows Phone 8.1 introduces a host of notable new features, most of which were unveiled in a preview released to developers on February 10. Cortana Main article: Cortana Cortana is a personal virtual assistant that was added in Windows Phone 8.1, and is similar to Google Now and Apple's Siri. The Cortana name derives from the Halo video game series, which is a Microsoft franchise exclusive to Xbox and Windows. Cortana's features include being able to set reminders, recognize natural voice without the user having to input a predefined series of commands and answer questions using information from Bing (like current weather and traffic conditions, sports scores, and biographies). Cortana also uses a special feature called a "Notebook", where it will automatically gather information about and interests of the user based on usage and allow the user to input additional personal information, such as quiet hours and close friends who are allowed to get through to the user during these quiet hours. Users can also delete information from the "Notebook" if they deem it undesirable for Cortana to know. Windows 8.1's universal Bing SmartSearch features are incorporated into Cortana, which replaces the previous Bing Search app which is activated when a user presses the "Search" button on their device. This feature, which is currently in beta, was released in the United States in the first half of 2014 and in China, the United Kingdom, India, Canada and Australia in August 2014. It will be publicly available in most other countries by late 2014 or early 2015. Microsoft has committed to updating Cortana twice a month and add features. The new features may include more "easter egg" replies, improvements in UI and better voice modulations. Web Main article: Internet Explorer Mobile Windows Phone 8.1 uses a mobile version of Internet Explorer 11 as the default web browser. IE11 carries over many of its desktop counterpart's improvements, which include support for WebGL, normal mapping, InPrivate mode, Reading mode, and the ability to swipe left or right to navigate to a previous webpage and back. The updated browser also includes a new HTML5 video web player with support for inline playback and closed captions,23 Windows 8-style website live tiles, and the ability to save passwords. Furthermore, users can now open an unlimited number of tabs, instead of the previous maximum of 6.24 If a user is logged in with their Microsoft account on both their Windows 8.1 device and Windows Phone, their tabs on IE11 will now sync automatically. Windows Phone Store Main article: Windows Phone Store The Windows Phone Store was redesigned in Windows Phone 8.1 to become more information-dense. App collections, which were previously visible in a different page, are now fully featured on the front column of the Store. There is also no more distinction between Games and other apps; both now show up in the app list, although categories for apps and games (such as "most popular games" or "most popular apps") are still separated. App ratings have been designed to match those of Windows 8.1, with horizontal bars added to indicate how many 5-star, 4-star, or 3-star reviews an app has received. App screenshots now no longer have their own page, but can instead can be viewed at the bottom of the app description page. Furthermore, the Windows Phone Store now includes a "My Apps" section under the three-dot menu which allows users to re-install any app they have purchased previously. See also * Windows Phone * Windows Phone 8 Category:Windows Phone